Large surface-to-volume-ratio and ultrahigh selectivity SSZ-13 membranes on 61-channel monoliths for efficient separation of CO2/CH4 mixture

This monolithic configuration of support owns superior mechanical strength, high surface-to-volume ratio and largely reduced sealing points compared with the ceramic hollow-fiber and tubular ones. Intergrown and thin SSZ-13 membranes with surface-to-volume ratio of 680 m(2)/m(3) were prepared the 61-channel monoliths via one-step secondary growth. The membrane thickness on the different channels was uniform. The typical membrane with efficient membrane area of similar to 200 cm(2) achieved ultrahigh selectivity of CO2/CH4 up to 280, which was higher than that of reported SSZ-13 membranes that always had area less than 20 cm(2). The effects of temperature and pressure on separation performance of membranes on 61-channel monoliths were investigated. Our results suggest that the scalable SSZ-13 membrane on 61-channel monolith is a good candidate for natural gas sweetening.

Automated summary

Compared with ceramic hollow-fiber and tubular structures, this monolithic support configuration offers superior mechanical strength, high surface-to-volume ratio, and reduced sealing points. Intergrown and thin SSZ-13 membranes with a surface-to-volume ratio of 680 m(2)/m(3) were successfully prepared on the 61-channel monoliths through one-step secondary growth. The membranes exhibited uniform thickness on different channels. A typical membrane with an efficient membrane area of approximately 200 cm(2) achieved an ultrahigh selectivity of CO2/CH4 up to 280, surpassing reported SSZ-13 membranes with smaller areas (less than 20 cm(2)). The effects of temperature and pressure on the separation performance of membranes on the 61-channel monoliths were investigated. Our findings demonstrate that the scalable SSZ-13 membrane on the 61-channel monolith is a promising candidate for natural gas sweetening.